India's largest Central Armed Police Force, the CRPF, is to issues guidelines for various workshops and other measures to combat distress and curb suicidal tendencies among its troopers, officials said on Wednesday.
Officials of the Central Reserve Police Force said that in view of the recent incidents of fratricide and suicide in the force, several steps have been taken to motivate the personnel and the guidelines will be issued for setting up of 'Chaupals (village-like get-togethers) and 'Sanskarshala' (morals classes) where the jawans can freely speak to their senior officials and explain their problems.
Under the proposed Sanskarshala, the security personnel will be taught morals lesson which will eventually create healthy and friendly senior-junior bonding and also help curb the rising incidents of suicide in the force. The officials also said that the 'Sanskarshalas' will be set up in all field formations and the force's Welfare Department has been working on the modalities of these initiatives.
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The morals teaching classes will enable good moral values among the senior and junior officials while the Chaupal will be regularly organised to listen to the personal problems of the jawan working in the units, the official said, adding that an official communication has been sent to every unit on these initiatives.
Recently, the CRPF Director general Kuldeep Singh sought suggestions from the troopers and junior officials to curb the negativity in the forces along with healthy relation between the junior and senior personnel and the Sanskarshala idea was suggested by a jawan from the field formation.
In the suggestion, the jawan, whose name was not disclosed by the force, said that due to lack in respect offered to juniors by seniors, incidents of fratricide suicide and scuffle often occurred in the field units which eventually dent the image of the force. Apart from daily practice of yoga, the CRPF also organises counselling sessions by the professionals and the force is planning to hire professional counsellors for this purpose, they added.
These initiatives come after the incidents of fratricide in Chhattisgarh's Sukma wherein a jawan shot his four colleagues on November 8, a suicide committed by the trooper in Kathgodam camp (Uttarakhand) on December 10, on December 15 in Gariaband in Chhattisgarh, and another fratricide case in Telangana where a a Sub-Inspector was shot dead by a Havildar who committed suicide later.
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